Maharashtra appoints FDA commissioner Tukaram Mundhe as secretary of committee for MPSC overhaul amid stir

FDA Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe, known for his uprightness and being an officer who ensures strict enforcement of rules, was on Sunday named the secretary of the committee set up by the Maharashtra government for overhauling the state recruitment body, the Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC), amid an ongoing agitation by aspirants in Pune.

The decision was conveyed to the agitating aspirants by state minister Shivendraraje Bhosale, who met them at SM Joshi Bridge, where the protest has been underway for the past 10 days, over various demands, including reforms in the MPSC.

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Tukaram Mundhe, who is often referred to as “Singham IAS” for being a strict and uncompromising officer, has faced 25 transfers in his career so far and is known for taking corruption head-on besides strict rule enforcement.

The Maharashtra state government has named ex-judge Dilip Bhosale as chairman of the committee that also comprises IPS officer Laxmi Gautam, ex-IAS officer Ganesh Patil and retired judge PD Naik.

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Bhosale also told the protesters that their other demands would be addressed. These included the withdrawal of cases against some representatives of the agitation, recruitment to 70,000 posts over three years, an increase in the number of seats in the Group C examination scheduled for January, and background checks on the chairman and secretary of the MPSC before their appointment.

NCP (SP) MLA Rohit, who has been protesting alongside the MPSC aspirants, welcomed Mundhe's inclusion in the committee. “We hope that the committee will have the freedom to work properly,” he said.

However, it was not immediately known whether the government has acceded to the demand for the ouster of MPSC Chairman Vivek Bhimnawar.